


Drabbles

by I always abandon my works (FireSphere)



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Ellipsis abuse in an unpublished entry, Emoji (no really), Established Relationship, F/M, Good; I have enough self doubt to drown in it don't judge me, Japanese honourifics are not dumb and I will use them, Morally gray activities eg hacking, Oxford commas are dumb and I will not use them, Serial Fic, Usage of kanji 漢字 with in-text translation, With my crazy style I'm gonna annoy all my readers until I have none left muahahaha, aLtErNaTiNg cAsEs (WaTcHiNg pEoPlE FlY InTo a mUrDeRoUs rAgE Is sUpEr eNtErTaInInG), anachronistic order, and there are Crazy stylistic choices such as:, anyway there are OCs in this fic, i realised removing all character tags will make this fic harder to find, intentional wall of text (because why not?), there's a sentence somewhere that doesn't end with .?!" or )
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-11
Updated: 2018-07-01
Packaged: 2019-05-04 12:13:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 4,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14592807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FireSphere/pseuds/I%20always%20abandon%20my%20works
Summary: The latest entry is NOT an update.It's a placeholder until the new chapter smell wears off. Then I'll edit the entry to actually be an update. I don't want my updates to lead to more views. The only reason this work is not set to private is so that I can see it still exists without having to login.A collection of drabbles taking place at least five years after canon feat. Yuusaku × Aoi as adults.There will be trauma, depression, suicide and other issues you don’t want happening to your loved ones. Yes, there will be some fluff as well; I can only stab someone so many times in a row beforethey stop respondingI need to stop and catch my breath. The drabbles will hop all over the timeline. [Cross-posted from FF.N] [Temporary hiatus]





	1. Chapter 1

Yuusaku was a computer security expert. His job entailed him hacking into his clients' computer systems (with their permission), finding the vulnerabilities and advising them on better security measures. He was good enough to freelance and often worked from home.

On the other hand, Aoi was the work-away-from-home parent. She was a cardiac surgeon, literally touching hearts and saving lives. Everyone was proud of how far she had come in life. Her brother in particular couldn't be any prouder of the fact she's a true hero in the eyes of many.

Yuusaku and Aoi started dating in high school. They were still going strong when they graduated and pursued post secondary education. He entered a local university on a scholarship to study computer engineering. She went abroad to study medicine, her degree fully paid for by her brother.

Despite the distance and stress, their relationship thrived. Yuusaku and Aoi even planned to marry once they both obtain their degrees. They eventually settled in Den City; both wanted to live closer to home where Kusanagi and Akira can help them, just in case.

When the time was right, the couple decided to try for a child. While Aoi had no preferences other than "healthy", Yuusaku had hoped for a son. He could relate to boys better; he used to be one himself. Yuusaku knew how they think, what they feel. It would be easier, for him at least, to raise a son. He considered raising a girl as beyond his capacities.

As fate would have it, Aoi became pregnant with a girl. Despite reassurances from Aoi, Yuusaku, try as he might to hide it, was full of insecurities. Him, a father. To a girl. At age 30. He was never very good with girls, yet he would be welcoming a girl into his family very soon.

"What if I did something and she cried? What if I hurt her feelings? Will she ever forgive me?" Yuusaku seemed to have an infinite amount of whatifs. What if he scarred her for life? What if he couldn't protect her? Yuusaku didn't want to know. It sounded like a cruel joke from the universe to entrust the life and future of a baby girl to him.

"You will be fine. Just like our daughter." Aoi would chuckle after listening to him going on and on with his whatifs, never really addressing them individually. "See? You are already so concerned for her wellbeing. She's going to have a fantastic father and you know it! What should we name her?"

"I'll agree with whatever name you choose. Since you are doing all the work, you get the honour." Just don't make him pick her name. Yuusaku didn't feel up to the first task of parenthood. What if he gave her a name she later hates?

"Alright then. From now on, we'll call her Yūi!"

"Wait, what? Why are you naming her after me!?"

"Why not? I want our daughter to be smart and honest and adorable like her papa~❤" Aoi kissed him on the cheek and smirked. Her husband - normally so calm and capable and confident - often got flustered from compliments and Aoi sometimes couldn't resist praising him to see those rosy cheeks. She got what she wanted.

"Ahem," Yuusaku cleared his throat as he tried to regain his composure. "One, naming her after me does not guarantee that she will be like me. Two, her name can then be abbreviated as F. Yū. Three, why not name her after yourself or Akira?"

"Too late, dear. You already agreed, remember?" Aoi winked at him. "I have even picked the kanji: the kanji for friend 友 and the kanji for dependable 依. See? Totally not naming her after you." Yuusaku groaned. The ladies in his household will be the death of him.

Even on the day she was born, Yuusaku worried himself sick: what if he couldn't bond with Yūi? But when he first laid eyes on her, Yuusaku thought he would die of happiness.

Yūi was breathtaking! Her pink hair and green eyes probably came from him, but her sweet innocent smile can only be a gift from an angel. Yuusaku felt his fatherly instinct kick in with a burning desire to love and protect his daughter.

At the end of parental leave, Yuusaku surprised everyone, himself included, by leaving his prestigious job to care for Yūi. The couple discussed their options extensively and finally agreed that it was economically feasible for Yuusaku to freelance from home; he had a sizable network of contacts he built up over the course of his career.

"One, Aoi's salary is higher than mine. Two, if she stays at home, we completely lose her income. Three, if I don't work then Aoi will almost surely pressure herself to work even more to pick up the slack." Yuusaku shared his reasoning on the decision with his "older brothers" over drinks in Cafe Nagi.

"Has our Yuusaku-kun gotten soft?" Kusanagi might be joking, but there was a glimmer in his eyes. The little boy he'd known who was so hell-bent on revenge had matured immensely.

"Of course he has," Akira commented. "That's what parenthood does to people." The two men laughed as they clinked their mugs of coffee like they were exchanging high fives.

"Umm, guys?"

"In all seriousness, I think you are right about the third point." There was a tinge of regret in Akira's voice. Although it was clear he had to do what he did and Aoi held nothing against him, Akira still felt somewhat guilty about how he raised his sister. "Aoi thinks it's normal to work long hours for her family and I am to blame for that."

"I'll make sure Aoi doesn't work too hard."

"Good."

"Make sure you don't work too hard either, Yuusaku-kun." Kusanagi ruffled Yuusaku's hair. He remembered how Yuusaku often fell asleep in front of the computer, mumbling incoherently about algorithms, in his hand a pencil that was in the midst of crossing out something in his hacking plans. "Honestly, Yuusaku-kun, I'm more worried about you."

"Thanks, Kusanagi-san."


	2. Chapter 2

Yuusaku's convocation was two days from now. Aoi had flown from her studies abroad in to attend it. Kusanagi would also attend, and maybe Akira, if his schedule would allow it. They were to arrive tomorrow, so the couple had the day to themselves.

Given that Yuusaku's university town was halfway between Den City and the airport, it was no brainer that Aoi stopped by to visit him whenever she came back for the summer. A company offered a transit between the university town and the airport, eliminating the need to call a taxi. And Akira didn't have to go all the way to the airport to pick her up.

Normally her brother would be here today, but something came up so Kusanagi offered to drive her home. Aoi turned it down; she saw an opportunity to spend more time with Yuusaku. If she were younger, Aoi would have accepted it without question. But living so far away from home had made her more independent, resourceful and adaptable. Somehow, she persuaded Akira to book her a hotel room for a couple of nights.

As usual, Yuusaku was already waiting when Aoi arrived from the airport. After she checked into the hotel and unloaded her luggage, Yuusaku showed Aoi around town, went to local attractions, took her for dinner. By and large, it was not bad at all. But Aoi wanted more.

"Come stay with me!" Aoi dragged Yuusaku by the arm into her hotel room. It was unlikely he'd ever slept somewhere luxurious. And the hotel room was meant for two.

"You sure this is a good idea?" Yuusaku wasn't enthusiastic, but he wasn't resisting either.

"Absolutely. If anyone deserves some star treatment, it's you." Aoi looked at his shabby clothes and decided she's bringing Yuusaku clothes shopping tomorrow.

"Some star treatment, huh?" Yuusaku considered it. He cared little for the spotlight and never liked being called a hero.

"Ask for anything from the hotel. You get one chance free, as a gift from me to you."

"Okay, I'd like an extra blanket."

What a boring request. The extra blanket was already free. Why can't he get something he can't usually have, like exotic food or a thermal bath? "That means you are staying, right?" Aoi tried to hide her disappointment.

"That's right. Let me go get my belongings."

"Bring a change of clothes too. You are using the hotel shower today."

They went to his residence: a block of flats no better than the one Yuusaku once lived in Den City. Aoi waited outside the door while he packed his bag. Yuusaku was done in less than ten minutes. There wasn't much he wanted to take anyway.

The couple returned to the hotel. Yuusaku's blanket was waiting for him. They watched an orchestra perform on TV. Aoi leaned on him while Yuusaku tried to sit upright. Eventually, the evening came to an end. It was time for bed.

"Aoi, before you go to sleep, I have something for you." Yuusaku fished for something in his pocket and handed Aoi a sealed plastic bag. It contained a pair of earplugs, the kind that was worn to sleep.

Not once in her life had Aoi needed earplugs. "You're n-" she began.

"I'm completely serious." Yuusaku interrupted her with a neutral tone. He looked away, as if he couldn't believe what he's saying next. "I once woke up the entire building." He looked at his girlfriend dead in the eye. "True story."

"That's impossible." Aoi knew about his nightmares, but can he really scream that loud? Maybe the building was tiny with thin walls. "How did you do that?"

"I don't know. Apparently, I slept through it all but no one else did." Yuusaku opened the packet. He placed it and the earplugs on her palm. "They are reusable, so you can use them on your return flight later."

"I can sleep just fine without earplugs." And loud noises wasn't exactly the reason people find it difficult to sleep in a flight. The earplugs might help against crying babies, though.

"Maybe you'll sleep even better with them." Aoi didn't respond so Yuusaku moved on. "Try them for one night only. You can throw the earplugs away tomorrow if you don't like them."

This guy could keep pleading with her all night. Aoi was getting sleepy. Why not humour him so both of them can go to sleep sooner? "Alright then." Aoi said as she read the instructions. She rolled the earplugs and inserted them into her ear canals, one-by-one.

"How do I look?" Aoi joked. Her ear canals were blocked but Aoi could "hear" her own voice quite well. The vibrations from her vocal chords can still reach her eardrums through the bones and tissues in her head. It's the reason people don't recognise their own voice in a recording at first.

Yuusaku gave her a thumbs-up. His face softened as he said something to her. Aoi couldn't hear what exactly but his lips seemed to form the word goodnight. He turned around to leave.

"Stay." Aoi reached out and caught his wrist. She had never shared a room with Yuusaku before, and this was an opportunity to share a bed. No way was she giving that up. "Just for one night." She begged.

The young man gestured at the couch sheepishly.

"It'll be okay, Yuusaku. The bed is softer and I won't tell Akira we shared it. Or the room for that matter."

Yuusaku rolled the thought in his head for a moment, then, to Aoi's delight, he settled into bed next to her. With her beautiful face being the last thing he saw that night, Yuusaku held her hand in his and closed his eyes.

Aoi dimmed the lights.  _His hand was so warm._  That was her last thought as she drifted to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter should be read as a direct continuation of the previous chapter.

"Help!"

The scream jolted Aoi awake. It wasn't by volume alone; that one word also contained a lifetime's worth of terror. Frantically, she pulled out the earplugs and scrambled for the lights. The sight that greeted her was unlike anything Aoi had seen.

Yuusaku was not in bed. He was on the couch, swinging his limbs wildly and shouting his head off. It was like he was fighting someone and losing. But there was no assailant, just him and Aoi in the room. It took Aoi a moment to register the situation: while she was fast asleep, Yuusaku moved his pillow and blanket to the couch and slept there. Now he was having a nightmare, presumably about the Lost incident.

"Yuusaku, wake up!" Aoi rushed over. "Wake up!" She was about to reach out to him when--

"Stay away from me!" This scream was even louder than the one before. Aoi instinctively flinched from its intensity. In his reality, Yuusaku was getting kidnapped again. He started to kick. His foot struck the coffee table, hard. It must have hurt - the table was sturdy enough not to topple - but he continued kicking away, either unaware or unconcerned about the pain. Bam! The table jerked. Bam! Bam!

A note on the coffee table caught Aoi's eye. Carefully avoiding the moving table, she picked the note up and read the message scribbled on it.

_Don't wake me up. Don't touch me.  
I'll be alright; go back to sleep._

Not only had he written the first line extra large, Yuusaku had also drawn an exploding speech bubble around it. The instructions were in line with Aoi's medical knowledge; she likened him to someone experiencing a convulsion. When someone convulses, they become unresponsive and have no control over their movements. The best thing to do is wait for it to be over.

Yuusaku yelped, the cry pathetic and barely human. His body twitched, almost as if a strong electric current had passed through it. Yuusaku might not be having a convulsion, but the situation was similar enough that the wait-and-see approach was applicable. He obviously knew what he was doing when he wrote the instructions.

"Let me out, let me out!" Now Yuusaku was banging his fists on a door no one else can see. The blanket slipped to the floor. His whole body was sweating. Heavy breathing filled the room. He clenched his teeth, perhaps with the realisation there was no possible escape.

Aoi willed herself to ignore his distress and do what Yuusaku definitely wanted her to: to leave him be.  _That is so him._  Aoi thought. Like always, Yuusaku tried to protect others from the darkness in his soul. Kept people away from his revenge. Emotionally distanced himself from everyone. Turned down Akira's offer to handle the Lost Incident.

On the other hand, Yuusaku could have left in the middle of the night, gone back to his flat, suffered his nightmare privately. So why didn't he?

"Just kill me and get it over with... Please..." Yuusaku whimpered. His fingers tightened on his pillow, tears forming in his eyes. Finally, his arm fell off the side of the couch, his fingers scraped the floor and his body lay motionless, as if he had given up fighting and was waiting for the sweet release of death.

Apprehensively watching out for sudden movements, Aoi picked up the blanket and slid it across his body. No response. Maybe his nightmare was over - for now.

The whole commotion lasted no more than five minutes, five minutes too long. Impossibly, he was fully asleep the entire time, unresponsive to the world. Yuusaku spoke of nightmares he woke up from, but that was a fraction of the story. He also had nightmares he didn't wake up from.

Aoi looked at the note again. There was something written on the other side. She turned it and saw another message.

_Holding you all day made me happy. I wish I could hold you all night too._   
_I'm sorry for waking you up._   
_Goodnight, my dear. I love you._

His education was ending soon and Yuusaku had thought long and hard about his future. He dreamt of living his life together with her. But this dream wasn't so straightforward. Even the simplest thing, like sharing a bed, could be problematic. Had he stayed in bed, no doubt Yuusaku would have beaten Aoi bloody and be completely unaware of the abuse while inflicting it.

Even so, Yuusaku was willing to work for the dream. He made the necessary arrangements to stay close (enough) to his beloved and still avoid hurting her. Because Aoi was worth it.

"You try too hard," Aoi muttered as she went back to bed. She had made up her mind. The young woman placed the note and the earplugs on the nightstand. If Yuusaku was in pain, Aoi wanted to be able to hear it, loud or faint. They were in it for the long run. She would stay and work for the dream too. "Next time, I am taking the couch, you are taking the bed." Aoi turned off the lights. "Sweet dreams, darling."


	4. 100-word drabble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A 100-word drabble just for April Fools'. This is a one-off; all other entries will be longer.

Yuusaku poured some hot coffee into his new mug — a present from Aoi before he left for work that morning. As the liquid level rose, the black mug changed colour, revealing a hidden message printed on its side:

_⇈ This is what an awesome dad looks like! ⇈_

“Wow, that’s so cute! I didn’t know you have kids,” a co-worker said.

Yuusaku smiled. “I didn’t know either.” Aoi had a rather charming way of telling him what’s up. “My wife loves a good joke.”

For the rest of the day, Yuusaku felt warm and fuzzy inside. Aoi’s gift was very interesting indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The mug in this story totally [exists](https://web.archive.org/web/20170717152403/https://www.cardfactory.co.uk/gifts/personalised-awesome-dad-mug.htm).


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Placeholder

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	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Incomplete chapter to be completed when no one is watching. Also to be deleted when no one is looking.

Yuusaku checked his reflection for the hundredth time that afternoon. On the one day he needed perfection, his tie refused to fall in line, sometimes literally. Right now it was off ever so slightly to his right.

He briefly wondered to himself if he needed his tie to be perfect. No, of course not, technically speaking. Even if his girlfriend noticed the slight angle, she'd love him all the same. But Aoi deserved perfection. And so Yuusaku spent another ten minutes on it.

Yuusaku finally got his tie to behave: dimpled, symmetric, just long enough to touch his belt. He put on his suit jacket and looked at the mirror again. Should he fasten the jacket's buttons?

Maybe not, Yuusaku reasoned. One, it's his style to leave his jackets open. Two, Aoi was observant; if she noticed his duel disc all those years ago then she would surely notice how unusual the buttoned up jacket was. Three, this was not a job interview and he should not dress like it.

The suit dealt with, Yuusaku reached for the ring box in his drawer, hidden under his duel disk, and opened it to check the ring inside. He had ordered it after calling Akira a month ago to discuss Aoi's taste in rings.

_"Oh? Are you... planning on proposing to Aoi?" There was a hint of bittersweet in Akira's voice._

_"Yes. I intend to buy a ring for the occasion. But I never see her wear one." It made sense for Aoi not to; it interfered with work. That habit carried over to her personal life. "You are my best source now: what sort of ring does she like to wear?"_

_"You probably don't need the ring. And whatever you get, she'll love it."_

_"Please, Zaizen-san," Yuusaku understood Aoi wouldn't wear the ring regularly, but still. "This is important to me."_

_Akira sighed. "I think she likes them simple," he said._

_Really? The creator of Blue Angel liked simple? "That's too vague." Yuusaku said. "Can you describe one of her rings?"_

_"Ah yes." Akira's tone shifted. "The other day Aoi shown me a ring she bought. Silver, with three sapphires engraved into it, I think. She's very happy and raved about it for a while."_

_"Sapphire and silver, got it." Yuusaku could have guessed the blue part, but it's nice to not have to guess the silver part. "Don't tell Aoi I'm proposing, okay?"_

_"I will pretend we never had this conversation."_

_"Thank you, Zaizen-san. I owe you one."_

_"It's nothing," the bittersweet returned to Akira's voice. "Good luck, Yuusaku-kun, but I don't think you need it."_

A sapphire ring wouldn't be all that special if Aoi already had one. Yuusaku spent a few hours after the call looking up blue gemstones. Who knew there'd be so many to choose from? There's lapis lazuli, turquoise, tanzanite and more. But when he stumbled on aquamarine, Yuusaku knew he could start looking up ring designs and place his order. The colour of aquamarine, despite the name, was interestingly closer to the sky than the sea. Perfect for the woman behind Blue Angel.

The ring arrived last week, in a ring box too bulky to hide anywhere on him. But that didn't matter; after checking the ring itself Yuusaku had transferred it to a proposal ring box that was slim enough to hide in a pocket and had enough flair to make it special.

Yuusaku inspected the solitaire ring again today. The metal used in its construction was actually platinum; silver was a poor choice for commitment rings. On its holder, between carved petals on each side, rested the aquamarine, a piece of the summer sky in solid form. As far as he could see, the ring had no defects.

Yuusaku gave himself a minute to indulge his imagination: how beautiful the ring would look on Aoi, how much she'd love it, how happy she would be. He smiled as he put the ring back, shut the box and slipped it in his jacket's inner pocket.

Next, he practised his proposal speech in front of the mirror. This was his daily 10-minute routine since the ring arrived and Yuusaku could see his sequence improve everyday. But today was a bit different. With the suit, the practice felt like a dress rehearsal and the panic it generated seemed to wipe out all his progress. Every stutter, forgotten word and awkward pause held Yuusaku back.

An hour passed before Yuusaku finally nailed his sequence down consistently. He did a final check of his preparations. Ring? Check. Suit? Check. Speech? Check. Satisfied with himself, Yuusaku left his flat; he wouldn't dare to be late today.

Aoi arrived in a frilled tea length dress that swayed like curtains in the wind. A shawl draped around her shoulders. A belt secured the dress to her waist, flattering her figure. Yuusaku resisted the urge to whistle at the sight of her. He asked for her hand and led her inside, to a table reserved for their date.

"Later can I go to your flat?" Aoi asked as she sat down. "I think I left... some stuff the last time I went."

Yuusaku narrowed his eyes. Aoi forgetting her stuff in his place? Surely as a surgeon Aoi must have a personal system that helped her remember her belongings. Like a checklist or something so she doesn't inadvertently leave behind a scalpel in someone's body. "What stuff?" Yuusaku asked after a moment of trying, and failing, to recall anything in his flat that could have belonged to her.

"Y'know, women's stuff." Aoi lowered her voice. She avoided his gaze abruptly by looking at the menu. "I swear I've looked everywhere in my place and I can't find it."

"I can get it for you. Do you remember where you put it?"

"Please, Yuusaku, can I go get it myself? Today?" Aoi begged. "What if someone else found it first? Wouldn't it be embarrassing for a guy to have such things? People might even think you are a creep."

"I'm not worried about people finding women's stuff in my place." Yuusaku figured he might as well get used to having women's stuff in his living space -- if he was to marry a woman. But then, he needed Aoi to be in a good mood today. "Alright, Aoi." Yuusaku conceded. "We'll go after dinner."

"Thank you." Aoi let out a breath in relief. "I promise I won't take long."

"It's fine."

They sat in silence after a waiter took their order. Aoi continued flipping through the menu. Maybe she was mulling over what to have for dessert.

Yuusaku appreciated that she didn't need his attention all the time and luckily not now. His mind raced to consider his options and adjust his plans accordingly. He was planning to propose in Stardust Road and chose this restaurant based its proximity to this scenic location, but his flat was in the opposite direction. And Aoi's residence was nearer to his flat than Stardust Road. Yuusaku frowned at the table as he performed several calculations in his head, concluding that proposing in Stardust Road was infeasible: no plausible excuse to go and no time to do so.

He sipped his drink -- iced water -- and tried a different approach. Could he propose another day instead?

"Yuusaku, is something the matter?" Aoi snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Hmm? No, nothing was wrong." Yuusaku looked up.

"You looked so deep in thought." 

"I was thinking about a tricky problem I saw at work today." Anything to hide what he was really thinking.

"It's Friday night, give it a rest. At this rate, you'll be like onīsama in no time."

"I can't stop thinking about it. It's how us programmers tick." Yuusaku stated in a neutral tone. "We think about our code all the time. In the shower, commuting, lunch."

"Is that so?" Aoi picked up her spoon and inspected it. "No wonder onīsama was always working. Can't put that code down."

 _No surprises there; if something went wrong people might die,_ Yuusaku thought to himself. "Speaking of him, how is Akira-san?" He switched the topic.

"He's quite busy these days. His company plans to open a new branch overseas and onīsama is working overtime helping to get it off the ground."

Yuusaku almost brightened up. He could propose at her place, if Akira wasn't around. He never wanted to propose in front of an audience. Even with Akira's approval, Yuusaku still wanted to bare his feelings in private.

"There's so much work to do, half of the time it follows him home." Aoi put her spoon down, although her fingers still rested on it. There was a dreamy distant look in her eyes. "I think I am the reason why onīsama comes home at all."

Yuusaku sighed softly. The idea of proposing at Aoi's place was a cold hard NO. He was not taking the risk of Akira ruining the moment by coming home while he was proposing.


	9. Placeholder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

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**Summary for the Chapter:**

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